Enhanced Recruitment During Executive Control Processing in Cognitively Preserved Patients With Pediatric-Onset MS

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (04) ◽  
pp. 432-442
Author(s):  
Emily Barlow-Krelina ◽  
Gary R. Turner ◽  
Nadine Akbar ◽  
Brenda Banwell ◽  
Magdalena Lysenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Recruitment Strategies ◽  
Lower Accuracy ◽  
Demand Condition ◽  
The Right ◽  
Pediatric Onset

AbstractObjectives: Youth and young adults with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) are vulnerable to executive dysfunction; however, some patients do not demonstrate functional deficits despite showing abnormalities on structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cognitively intact adults with MS have shown enhanced activation patterns relative to healthy controls on working memory tasks. We aim to evaluate whether cognitively preserved pediatric-onset MS patients engage compensatory recruitment strategies to facilitate age-normative performance on a task of working memory. Methods: Twenty cognitively preserved patients (mean age=18.7±2.7 years; 15 female) and 20 age- and sex-matched controls (mean age=18.5±2.9 years; 15 female) underwent neuropsychological testing and 3.0 Tesla MRI, including structural and functional acquisitions. Patterns of activation during the Alphaspan task, a working memory paradigm with two levels of executive control demand, were examined via whole-brain and region of interest (ROI) analyses. Results: Across all participants, lower accuracy and greater activation of regions implicated in working memory were observed during the high demand condition. MS patients demonstrated 0.21 s longer response time than controls. ROI analyses revealed enhanced activation for pediatric-onset MS patients relative to controls in the right middle frontal, left paracingulate, right supramarginal, and left superior parietal gyri during the low executive demand condition, over and above differences in response time. MS patients also demonstrated heightened activation in the right supramarginal gyrus in the high executive demand condition. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that pediatric-onset MS patients may engage compensatory recruitment strategies during working memory processing. (JINS, 2019, 25, 432–442)

Stimulation of the dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex improves working memory and planning

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Puladi Farzaneh ◽  
Bagheri Masood ◽  
Ghasem Askarizadeh ◽  
Afsaneh Moradi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Response Accuracy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
The Right ◽  
And Control

The present study aimed to investigate whether working memory (WM) and planning performances can be enhanced using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). A total of 30 healthy individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: active (A)-tDCS and control (S)-tDCS. Anodal stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (F3) and cathodal stimulation over the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) (FP2) were further implemented at 2 mA in the A-tDCS group, while there was no intervention in the control group. The tools used were software versions of the three-level n-back task and Tower of London (TOL) task, and for each task we measured participants’ response accuracy and response time. The results showed a significant difference between the groups in both cognitive functions, suggesting that tDCS can improve response accuracy in memory and problem-solving ability, but it is less effective in terms of improving response time on planning. Overall, findings suggest that tDCS can enhance WM and planning performances.

Neural Correlates of Executive Dysfunction in Prodromal and Manifest Alzheimer’s Disease

GeroPsych ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoife Hunt ◽  
Uwe Haberkorn ◽  
Johannes Schröder ◽  
Peter Schönknecht
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Frontal Cortex ◽  
Neuropsychological Testing ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Precentral Gyrus ◽  
Cognitive Correlates ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
The Right

Executive function is frequently impaired in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its prodromal stage, and can be assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT). We aimed to elicit the neural and cognitive correlates of TMT subtests using positron emission tomography with 18-fluoro-D-deoxy-glucose, and neuropsychological testing in 20 patients with prodromal or manifest AD as well as 14 controls. TMT-A correlated with glucose metabolism in the left middle frontal cortex, TMT-B performance correlated with the metabolism in the right middle frontal cortex and the right precentral gyrus, and TMT-Q performance correlated with metabolism in the right middle frontal cortex. The present findings reveal functional imaging evidence that executive dysfunction in AD as measured by TMT is frontal lobe mediated.

Predictions of Actions and Their Justifications in False-Belief Tasks: The Role of Executive Function

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 500-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Putko ◽  
Agata Złotogórska
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Mental States ◽  
False Belief ◽  
Current Location ◽  
False Belief Tasks ◽  
Development Of Language

Abstract The main objective of this study was to examine whether children’s ability to justify their action predictions in terms of mental states is related, in a similar way as the ability to predict actions, to such aspects of executive function (EF) as executive control and working memory. An additional objective was to check whether the frequency of different types of justifications made by children in false-belief tasks is associated with aforementioned aspects of EF, as well as language. The study included 59 children aged 3-4 years. The ability to predict actions and to justify these predictions was measured with false-belief tasks. Luria’s hand-game was used to assess executive control, and the Counting and Labelling dual-task was used to assess working memory capacity. Language development was controlled using an embedded syntax test. It was found that executive control was a significant predictor of the children’s ability to justify their action predictions in terms of mental states, even when age and language were taken into account. Results also indicated a relationship between the type of justification in the false-belief task and language development. With the development of language children gradually cease to justify their action predictions in terms of current location, and they tend to construct irrelevant justifications before they begin to refer to beliefs. Data suggest that executive control, in contrast to language, is a factor which affects the development of the children’s ability to justify their action predictions only in its later phase, during a shift from irrelevant to correct justifications.

scholarly journals An autopsy-proven case of Corticobasal degeneration heralded by Pontine infarction

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dallah Yoo ◽  
Sung-Hye Park ◽  
Sungwook Yu ◽  
Tae-Beom Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Neuronal Loss ◽  
Corticobasal Degeneration ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Lacunar Infarction ◽  
Cortical Atrophy ◽  
Dystonic Posturing ◽  
Proven Case ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by insidious progression with poorly-delineated long latent period. Antecedent clinical insult could rarely unmask latent neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we report an autopsy-proven case of corticobasal degeneration which was preceded by a lacunar infarction. Case presentation A 58-year-old man presented with acute ataxia associated with a lacunar infarction in the right paramedian pons. His ataxia persisted with additional progressive gait difficulty and left arm clumsiness. Six months later, a follow-up neurological examination showed asymmetrical bradykinesia, apraxia, dystonic posturing, postural instability, and mild ataxia of the left limbs. Cognitive examination revealed frontal executive dysfunction and visuospatial difficulties. Dopamine transporter imaging scan demonstrated bilateral reduced uptakes in mid-to-posterior putamen, more prominent on the right side. Levodopa-unresponsive parkinsonism, asymmetric limb dystonia, and ideomotor apraxia became more conspicuous, while limb ataxia gradually vanished. The patient became unable to walk without assistance after 1 year, and died 4 years after the symptom onset. Autopsy findings showed frontoparietal cortical atrophy, ballooned neurons, and phosphorylated tau-positive astrocytic plaques and neuropil threads with gliosis and neuronal loss, confirming the corticobasal degeneration. Conclusions The case illustrates that precedent clinical events such as stroke might tip a patient with subclinical CBS into overt clinical manifestations.

scholarly journals Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 411
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Shanika Boyce ◽  
Tanja Jovanovic
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Right

Aim: This study tested sex differences in the association between hippocampal volume and working memory of a national sample of 9–10-year-old children in the US. As the hippocampus is functionally lateralized (especially in task-related activities), we explored the results for the right and the left hippocampus. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data. This analysis included baseline ABCD data (n = 10,093) of children between ages 9 and 10 years. The predictor variable was right and left hippocampal volume measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). The primary outcome, list sorting working memory, was measured using the NIH toolbox measure. Sex was the moderator. Age, race, ethnicity, household income, parental education, and family structure were the covariates. Results: In the overall sample, larger right (b = 0.0013; p < 0.001) and left (b = 0.0013; p < 0.001) hippocampal volumes were associated with higher children’s working memory. Sex had statistically significant interactions with the right (b = −0.0018; p = 0.001) and left (b = −0.0012; p = 0.022) hippocampal volumes on children’s working memory. These interactions indicated stronger positive associations between right and left hippocampal volume and working memory for females compared to males. Conclusion: While right and left hippocampal volumes are determinants of children’s list sorting working memory, these effects seem to be more salient for female than male children. Research is needed on the role of socialization, sex hormones, and brain functional connectivity as potential mechanisms that may explain the observed sex differences in the role of hippocampal volume as a correlate of working memory.

Effect of shift work on working memory, attention and response time in nurses

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Azam Esmaily ◽  
Sara Jambarsang ◽  
Farough Mohammadian ◽  
Amir Houshang Mehrparvar
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Shift Work

scholarly journals Are visual working memory and episodic memory distinct processes? Insight from stroke patients by lesion-symptom mapping

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selma Lugtmeijer ◽  
◽  
Linda Geerligs ◽  
Frank Erik de Leeuw ◽  
Edward H. F. de Haan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Lesion Symptom Mapping ◽  
Criterion Setting ◽  
The Right

AbstractWorking memory and episodic memory are two different processes, although the nature of their interrelationship is debated. As these processes are predominantly studied in isolation, it is unclear whether they crucially rely on different neural substrates. To obtain more insight in this, 81 adults with sub-acute ischemic stroke and 29 elderly controls were assessed on a visual working memory task, followed by a surprise subsequent memory test for the same stimuli. Multivariate, atlas- and track-based lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) analyses were performed to identify anatomical correlates of visual memory. Behavioral results gave moderate evidence for independence between discriminability in working memory and subsequent memory, and strong evidence for a correlation in response bias on the two tasks in stroke patients. LSM analyses suggested there might be independent regions associated with working memory and episodic memory. Lesions in the right arcuate fasciculus were more strongly associated with discriminability in working memory than in subsequent memory, while lesions in the frontal operculum in the right hemisphere were more strongly associated with criterion setting in subsequent memory. These findings support the view that some processes involved in working memory and episodic memory rely on separate mechanisms, while acknowledging that there might also be shared processes.

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